StableWise - Horse Safety

Paramount in all farm plans, be they a small one-horse set-up or a large hundred-horse operation, is horse safety. We have all heard stories that lead up to the phrase "if there is something for a horse to hurt itself on, it will". Horses are amazing creatures in that their size and substance lead you to believe that somehow they should also be sturdy, stable and not easily damaged. But every horse owner knows that this is not necessarily true. Horses are also extremely curious, relatively thin skinned, and held together by tender tendons and ligaments. In addition, their evolution into domestication did not include their sensitive digestive tract. Blending the horse's need to accommodate his wild horse instincts of constant movement, grazing and flight from predators is frequently contradicted by our need to house them in stalls, control their turn-out and train them in an arena.

Some things to consider:

Barn construction - stall door sizes, stall door hardware, spacing of bars, construction of dividers, gutter and downspout protection, traction in wash racks and barn aisles

Loafing shed construction - mud management, flooring materials, wall and roof materials

Paddocks and pastures - footing, fencing, size and placement, drainage
Yard hydrant and electrical wiring placement and protection

StableWise helps you find answers to these and hundreds of other questions that come up in the process of developing your horse farm.

Click here for StableWise Recommended Resources

Stablekeeping : A Visual Guide to Safe and Healthy Horsekeeping

Horse Owners Field Guide to Toxic Plants

First Aid for Horses : The Essential Quick-Reference Guide